The cop who exposed Jimmy Savile as a paedophile has insisted that the BBC presenter who allegedly paid a teenager for sexually explicit pictures should be identified.
Mark Williams-Thomas, a former detective, told The Mirror that licence fee-payers had a right to know the identity of the star. The TV presenter, "known to millions" according to The Sun, has now been suspended pending investigation.
The BBC has contacted police after the claims were first published earlier this week that the star had paid a 17-year-old more than £35,000 over a period of time for sexually explicit images. However, no formal allegation has yet been made, according to Scotland Yard.
Williams-Thomas said: "The BBC has already had a month to look into this - they should have concluded their investigation by now and named the individual in question. It's all about openness and transparency, but the BBC has got a track record of carrying out fatally flawed investigations.
"They need to get this investigated. It's obligatory now that they go through proper due process to get this sorted as soon as possible."
Prior to the suspension being announced on Sunday, Tory minister Lucy Frazer said she had been assured by broadcasting boss Tim Davie that the corporation is investigating the allegations "swiftly and sensitively". But the mother of the child – who is now 20 – claims they complained to the BBC on May 19 this year.
Despite this, it is claimed the presenter went on to rub shoulders with fellow celebrities and executives at a flashy event weeks later. The family then took their claims to the press, sparking wider attention and leading to the suspension.
Social media was also set alight with speculation as to the identity of the individual. A number of high-profile BBC presenters including Rylan Clarke, Jeremy Vine and Gary Lineker have taken to their public profiles to deny they are the person involved.
Of the awards do, Mr Williams-Thomas added: "This man should have been suspended pending an investigation. If this had happened he would never have been able to attend the ceremony. It's the same failed process as Savile, yet again."
Williams-Thomas is now an investigative journalist best known for fronting the documentary The Other Side of Jimmy Savile. The programme led to the launch of Operation Yewtree, which snared the likes of Gary Glitter, Max Clifford and Rolf Harris after years of evading charges of child sex abuse.
The Sun went on to report that the unnamed star had allegedly stripped down to his underwear during a video call with the child. The mother claimed she "immediately recognised" him as he was "getting ready for my child to perform".
The BBC said in a statement: "The BBC takes any allegations seriously and we have robust internal processes in place to proactively deal with such allegations. This is a complex and fast moving set of circumstances and the BBC is working as quickly as possible to establish the facts in order to properly inform appropriate next steps.
"It is important that these matters are handled fairly and with care. We have been clear that if - at any point - new information comes to light or is provided to us, this will be acted upon appropriately and actively followed up.
"The BBC first became aware of a complaint in May. New allegations were put to us on Thursday of a different nature and in addition to our own enquiries we have also been in touch with external authorities, in line with our protocols.
"We can also confirm a male member of staff has been suspended. We expect to be in a position to provide a further update in the coming days as the process continues. The BBC Board will continue to be kept up to date."
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